Author

Troy Dukart

It all started with a dream...

I never knew how incredibly challenging and rewarding it would be to become an author. I finished publishing the first two books while serving active duty in the US Air Force.

My life story is a bit different than most, but I believe that we are all meant to experience life in our own unique way. It shapes us into becoming the people we were born to be. I was born in Aurora, Colorado but my father was never a part of my life. My mother and I moved back to Minneapolis, Minnesota when I was two years old to be closer to our family who loved and cared about me dearly growing up. I'll always appreciate the great childhood I was provided. I love you Mom, Grandma and Grandpa and everyone else!

Yet, despite all the love I was given, the absence of a father in my life weighed on my shoulders for many years. I didn't have much confidence or belief in myself and often struggled with it. I always felt something was missing. I made a promise to never allow my future children to ever have to feel what that was like growing up. I hope you stand by your children as well.

Luckily, I was able to find joy with finding many passions in life. I've been a video gamer since I was five years old! I've lived through the original Nintendo all the way up to what's going on now! Video games have been a huge part of my life and some of my most cherished memories are playing online with friends or in a super awesome single-player experience. I got into anime, which sparked my curiosity for Japanese culture. I ended up graduating from the University of Minnesota with a Bachelors in Asian Language and Literature: Japanese as a result! I spent six months in a town called Sakai City near Osaka, Japan teaching English after I graduated. It was a humbling experience and it was there that I started writing these books!

As far as some other passions of mine, I can tell you I'm super into the NFL and NBA. Volleyball is my favorite sport to play, especially on the beach! I play guitar every once and a while and am a HUGE believer in the power of Toastmasters International. Check them out to see how you can become a better public speaker and leader! www.toastmasters.org. Travel is the best medicine for the soul in my opinion and I love getting together with my family and friends.

In my younger days, I was not much of a reader. Shocking! I know. As I did get older I began to appreciate books and got into self-improvement as well as fiction reading such as from the works of Veronica Roth's Divergent and Carve the Mark series and Pittacus Lore’s I am Number Four series. It was through reading some of these books that inspired me to finish my own and to continue to grow them. Reading is the best form of mental exercise you can do. I'm always looking to expand my favorite series, so send me some of yours!

These books I have written are a part of my soul and my passions. Various influences, from both East and West, are present in them. I wanted to tackle some of the tougher issues we have in life, such as child abandonment, dealing with death of loved ones, suicide, racial and sexual discrimination, and even religious contexts and becoming closer to God. I believe that humanity can triumph over these problems but must be united in doing so. We need to get the messages of love and kindness out to each other and realize we are ALL one big family.

I hope that by sharing with you a little bit of my life's story, you will take it upon yourself to go after your dreams. I've had to overcome many challenges in my life, being an only child to a single mother, growing up in poverty and rising to a higher life, and most importantly, learning to become confident and secure in myself. Going after your dreams is something you can't give up on! You were born for a reason! Show the world who you are, and never give up!

If you are looking for writing advice, I can't help but recommend to you a book by the greatest writer I've ever read, Stephen King. It's called On Writing. Seriously, it's the BEST mentoring and guide to writing out there. Go get it.